The Cardinals placed Baccellia (neck) on injured reserve Tuesday, Zach Gershman of the team's official site reports. Arizona signed practice-squad member Jalen Brooks to replace Baccellia on the 53-man roster and in the receiver room. Baccellia exited this past Sunday's 40-20 loss to the Texans in the second quarter due to a neck injury suffered during a collision on a kickoff return. Though he was able to fly back to Arizona after a brief hospital stay in Houston, Baccellia's injury was deemed severe enough to keep him out for the Cardinals' final three games. The 28-year-old wideout will finish the 2025 season with two catches for eight yards on four targets and 236 yards on nine kickoff returns over his five appearances.
Baccellia (neck) was stretchered off the field during Sunday's game against the Texans and will not return, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports. Baccellia suffered a scary neck injury late in the second quarter, but the good news is that the 28-year-old wideout had full movement in his extremities. He's been taken to a local hospital to undergo further tests, and without Baccellia the rest of the day, Emari Demercado will likely serve as the Cardinals' primary returner on kickoffs.
Baccellia recorded one catch (on three targets) for three yards during Sunday's 45-17 defeat to the Rams. The Cardinals were without WRs Marvin Harrison (heel, inactive), Greg Dortch (chest, IR) and Xavier Weaver (hamstring, inactive) in Week 14, affording Baccellia an opportunity for his first career start. Baccellia took a back seat to Michael Wilson in receiving output (11-142-2 on 16 targets) and matched him with a 79 percent snap share, the latter of which easily outpaced practice-squad elevations Jalen Brooks (40 percent) and Trent Sherfield (nine percent). Even if Baccellia retains such a workload this coming Sunday, facing the unyielding Texans defense doesn't portend much production for a player with nine receptions in 17 appearances in his career.